A Message from the Founder

Think Dirty® is a project born out of a personal journey to understand the truths in the beauty industry. Due to family history of cancer, I decided to research into the many causes behind breast cancer, including ‘toxic’ ingredients in cosmetic and personal care products.

I never realized the environmental impact cosmetics had on our health, until I watched Annie Leonard’s “Story of Cosmetics”, which examined the pervasive use of toxic chemicals in our everyday personal care products.

There are hormone disruptor chemicals in many products that have been possibly linked to breast cancer. I was shocked the cosmetics industry was not regulated like the food and drug sectors. And like most women, my lipgloss and shampoo are products I would never think to describe as “toxic” or could contain cancer-causing chemicals.

Finding safer alternatives for myself was a huge challenge. Although many products are labeled “all-natural” or “organic”, there is little transparency in labeling cosmetics. There was also no real tool out there for consumers to find information easily. With my background in design and marketing, I wanted to develop and create something not only for myself but for others as well, and that’s how Think Dirty® was founded.

Think Dirty® empowers and educates the consumer on the cosmetics industry by allowing them to make an informed decision on what products to purchase. In 2012, Think Dirty® won the It’s a Start Competition Grand Prize by Digifest Toronto. The mobile app launched in Summer 2013 with more than 68,300 products listed.

As someone who has been touched by cancer in my family, I was a huge supporter of several pink ribbon-related events and fundraising efforts. I really wanted Think Dirty® to be a champion of non-partisan breast cancer awareness initiatives. This September, we partnered with the Breast Cancer Fund and their Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to promote safer cosmetics and personal products through daily habits.

However, Think Dirty® is more than just a mobile app - it’s a consumer revolution for safer cosmetics by learning one ingredient at a time, changing to cleaner options, one product at a time.

Join me to take back our power to vote for products that are safe, clean, and not “Dirty”. The time is now.

To a healthier and safer future,

Lily Tse

Founder and CEO

4.5KBrands

1.4MProducts

26.2MUnique Scans

What the others are saying

With a tool like Think Dirty, consumers can help find and promote good companies that are using nontoxic ingredients. You shouldn’t have to be a toxicologist to know how to find safer products.

– Janet Nudelman, Campaign for Safe Cosmetics

I love knowing the health impact of what's on my bathroom shelf. Every consumer of beauty products needs this free app.

– Karina Birch, Founder of Rocky Mountain Soap

“It helps me make informed choices on products that I am bringing home.”

– Kyle Shearer, TED Blog Staff

“Tse's quest for greater transparency is personal. Her mother is a breast cancer survivor, so she's sensitive to hidden dangers in the products around us.”

– Fast Co. Exist

“Buying safe cosmetics has never been easier.”

– Ecouterre

“Think Dirty is an app that makes figuring out exactly what you’re slathering on your face, lips, bod (and, yikes, then washing down the drain) as easy as snapping a picture.”

– Brit + Co.

Lily and the team are doing a phenomenal job on an important app. This is something everyone who cares about their health should have in hand when they go shopping for personal care products!

– Bill Baker, CEO, Consonant Body

As someone who has past horror stories of using product that caused my skin allergy, Think Dirty is an app that I have been waiting for so long. It will let me know all the ingredients in the products, so I won't have to be a human guinea pig for new products. It will be a saviour for people like myself who has bad experience of using the wrong product for undisclosed ingredients. Looking forward to the launch of this important app!!

Incredibly useful app! I always considered myself a person who used natural and environmentally-friendly product until I downloaded this app. It is eye-opening to say the least. I can't wait to see more products added!

– ChloeMeagan, Think Dirty App User

Awesome! I have numerous allergies and I checked Think Dirty before I buy any new product and have found it useful. Don't know what I would do without it now.

– thinkingclean, Think Dirty App User

Time saver and life saver. Amazing!! I used to Google each ingredient in my products before purchasing to make sure they weren't harmful. Now I have an app that does that for me AND recommends a natural product... I just got to start getting my daughter's fathers to start using it.

– ttdoublenk, Think Dirty App User

So handy! Immediate answer to the burning question - is this bad for me? Have thrown a lot of things out now knowing what to buy instead.

– KevMacdod, Think Dirty App User

Love this when shopping. This app is great as it makes things so much easier when trying to decide on a product in store. In the past I felt like I had to stand in the aisle for 30m trying to look up ingredients etc. This app breaks thing down so simply and you can spend less time in store.

– Shoplesslivemore, Think Dirty App User

I am amazed at how many popular brand name products are full of chemicals. I have stopped using them. Thank you for opening my eye to natural clean products for my body. I love using this app as a resource before buying!

– Janey6549, Think Dirty App User

My favorite app! I don't know what I would do without this app. It's absolutely amazing and has inspired me to live a cleaner life.

– KimbaC, Think Dirty App User

Life changer. This app will make you more conscious of all bad chemicals that we absorb daily through our bodies. It has opened my eyes to true chemical-free brand and unveiled well-known brands that pretend to be.

– Luis756, Think Dirty App User

Awesome! Love to know what is bad for you. So many big words and it rates it all. Thank you for creating something like this.

– desiremap, Think Dirty App User

Wow! All I can say is wow I scanned some of my product and most of them scored high on the dirty level. I didn't realize just how much junk is in that stuff. I plan on swapping some of my products for cleaner ones recommended in the app.